THEIR LOVE
by MoodyCrab3
Summary: AN ICHIHIME FANFICTION.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. 

CHAPTER 1: 

HER LOVE:

It was the final evening of the Tanabata festival that stretched on for a week.

Orihime was dressed in a pure red Kimono with white flowers, bordered black near the hem. It clung to her curvaceous body and complemented her figure greatly. Her hair was bundled together in a bun held in place by a red hair-clip. Her bangs as usual framed her face.

She walked together with her best friend Tatsuki.

Tatsuki was forced against her will to wear a blue Kimono with turquoise and mauve flowers. The streets were crowded and every shop in sight was brightly decorated in colorful streamers and Toami to symbolize good luck and wealth.

Orihime munched on a daifuku as she followed Tatsuki around. Despite her cheerful demeanor she was feeling melancholy.

They came across a bamboo tree with many vibrant Tanzaku papers hanging from the branches. Orihime stopped.

"Do you want to make a wish on a Tanzaku paper, Orihime?"

Tatsuki asked, her hands held across her chest and eyes raised in query.

Orihime pondered her answer.

"I am not sure, Tatsuki Chan"

She stretched.

She was contemplating her answer when she caught sight of Ichigo walking with Rukia.

The sight made her heart twist.

It has almost been a week now, since her silent promise.

"Yes, Tatsuki Chan. I think I will make a wish"

She took a colorful piece of paper and wrote down her wish and tied it to a branch on the bamboo tree.

She walked away with Tatsuki sneaking a few glances in Ichigo's direction.

For years, she has loved him, cherished him. But he was hardly aware of it. She thought of his wild orange hair and typical frown that contradicted his kinder interior. She smiled despite herself.

Their first encounter was outside Ichigo's house. It was late at night and the inhabitants of Karakura town had retired to bed. Orihime was carrying on her back the limp body of, her brother Sora. He was bleeding and dying and she knew it. She knocked on the door of the Kurosaki clinic. A young boy her age with wild orange hair peeked out.

An older man, obviously the boy's father, rushed to Orihime's side and removed Sora off her back, carrying him to the clinic.

"Ichigo watch her,"

His father asked the boy to keep her company while Isshin did his best to try and save Sora. At first the boy fidgeted not knowing what to do or say. He then tried to engage her in a conversation to get her mind off her brother.

"Where are your parents?"

He asked her.

Orihime's trembling body froze for an instant before she resumed her sobbing and replied,

"My brother is my only family,"

Reality hit her. If Sora died, she would have no one to call family.

She broke into tears.

"He ll be alright"

The boy assured her. She looked up at him and smiled weakly. She noticed the concern reflected in his chocolate brown eyes and felt the need the weep into his chest. She held back, but she would cherish his kindness. She lost Sora that night.

She later met the orange haired teen at high school. She heard from Tatsuki about his mother. She felt sorry for him. She knew the pain of losing a loved one for she had lost a brother herself.

She watched him, a troubled teenage who stumbled along life, haunted by the memories of his past as it rained down on him. She sensed his pain better than those around him. She understood that his frown was a symbol of his disappointment in himself. She understood that he felt incompetent since all he could do was watch helplessly as the people who he desired to protect faded into the darkness. He would always blame himself for his mother's death. And she knew that better than anyone else.

And thought she knew she watched helpless unable to ease his restless heart.

Unaware she fell in love with him.

She watched as the black haired shinigami woman waltzed into his life. She effected upon him a transformation that changed his life for the better. With the power she gave him, he was finally able to protect his loved ones. The downpour no longer rendered him defenseless. Inside of him, the rain ceased to be and the sun began to shine, slowly but surely. And though it made her happy she also felt envious of the black haired Shinigami. She was happy that it was finally summer at Ichigo's world. But she was not the one who stopped the rain. It was Rukia.

She had watched them grow closer and closer. Rukia treated him like she did the others. But deep inside, he was different. Orihime knew that rukia saw Kaien in Ichigo. When Byakuya had beaten the pulp out of Ichigo, she had suffered his pain as her own. Ichigo was Rukia's redemption. Orihime knew that to Ichigo, Rukia was more than a friend. Orihime was left to fade in the background.

But that did not deter her. She would continue to love him. He was etched across her heart, and nothing would erase him. But the pain of loving and never being loved in return was getting to her. She felt jealousy of Rukia which was so unlike her. That is why she finally made up her mind to give up on Ichigo.

She had to move on, accept the reality that to Ichigo she was merely a part of the gang or a friend of a friend.

On the Tanzaku paper she had wished that she could find a way into his heart. But she was also aware that not all wishes come true. But Orihime was hopelessly in love.

"Orihime"

Tatsuki yelled.

"Hurry up, or we will be late for the fireworks."

She gestured orihime to walk faster and catch up to her. Orihime shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of thoughts of a certain boy. She ran after Tatsuki.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2:

HIS LOVE:

Ichigo was walking lost in thoughts when a certain name pulled him back to reality.

"Orihime"

He heard someone yell.

"Hurry up, or we will be late for the fireworks."

It sounded like Tatsuki.

He turned around and watched a ginger haired girl in a red Kimono run after a spiky black haired girl.

Ichigo was worried again. Ichigo had noticed that Orihime was smiling less and less everyday. Something seemed to bothering her. As Ichigo starred at his auburn haired friend, his thoughts raced back to the past.

Their first encounter was outside Ichigo's house. It was late at night. The clinic closed for the day and the Kurosaki family retired to bed. Ichigo was half asleep when he heard someone knocking on the doors. Cautiously he got out of bed and peeked out. He was surprised to find a girl his age, with a grown man thrown over her petit shoulders. He was bleeding and dying.

Isshin rushed to Orihime's side and removed Sora off her back, carrying him to the clinic.

"Ichigo watch her,"

His father asked him to keep her company while Isshin did his best to try and save Sora. At first Ichigo fidgeted not knowing what to do or say. He then tried to engage her in a conversation to get her mind off her brother.

"Where are your parents?"

He asked her.

Orihime's trembling body froze for an instant before she resumed her sobbing and replied,

"My brother is my only family,"

Ichigo felt sorry for the poor thing sitting beside him telling him her brother meant the world to her. Orihime seemed so fragile, so breakable. She reminded him of himself when his mother died.

"He ll be alright"

He told her in a desperate effort to comfort her. She looked up at him and smiled weakly. Few minutes later, Orihime's world came crashing down. Sora was dead.

He remembered his mother's death. He felt a sudden rush of empathy. Ichigo wanted to shelter her from the hurt she was going through. He knew the agony of losing a loved one. The pain seated itself deeply on the chest and grew like moss on stale bread, spreading like poison, infecting. But he watched helplessly as she melted into tears. Looking at her tremulous form, he felt incompetent once again. He wanted to protect her but he was powerless.

Their second encounter was in high school. He couldn't believe that it was the same girl he met years ago. She was cheerful and full of spirit. Contrary to Ichigo who clung to his mother's death and refused to let go, she moved on. The scowl plastered permanently on Ichigo's face was proof that his mother's death changed him forever. Along with his mother, he buried his smile. But orihime let time erase the pain and replace it with happy memories. Ichigo knew then that she was not so frail. Despite her abusive parents and brother's premature death she was smiling, not because she was oblivious to how cruel life could be, but because she chose to be strong and believe that happiness can still be found.

His feelings for her evolved from empathy to admiration. As time went by, he grew fiercely protective of her. He wanted to shield her from harm, to preserve her goofy and carefree nature so she may always smile. Unaware, he fell in love with her. To many she was a goddess, a princess even an angel. But to him, she was merely the girl he loved.

With the arrival of Rukia he had gained great powers. And one of the things he protected with a passion was orihime and her smile. He had saved her from Heuco Mundo and from Aizen. He was eager to save her once again but from what? He starred at the ginger haired girl and wondered what could be troubling her. She hadn't smiled in days and it unsettled him greatly.

Ichigo saw a bamboo tree with Tanzaku papers hanging all over it. He took a paper himself and wrote his wish and tied it to its branch.

Ichigo's solitary wish was to make her smile.

He then followed Rukia and the others to watch the fireworks.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3:

THEIR LOVE:

Orihime was watched the fireworks mesmerized by all its glitter and glory.

"Tatsuki Chan isn't it breathtaking." She exclaimed in wonder.

She waited for a reply. She did not receive one. She looked around and realized that somewhere in the crowd she had lost Tatsuki.

"Tatsuki Chan"

She called out to her best friend. Once again she did not receive a reply.

Ichigo was gaping at the fireworks when he heard Tatsuki's name being called out. He noticed Orihime was alone. He knew that this could be his only chance to talk to her on his own. He silently parted the crowd and walked after the copper haired teen.

"Inoue"

Orihime heard a familiar voice call after her. She signed. She must have imagined it. After all it sounded like Ichigo and what would Ichigo possibly want with her. He was with Rukia. She closed her eyes, hung her head in defeat and walked straight into a tree, hitting her head.

"Ouch"

She felt warm hands as someone grabbed her upper arm, pulled her close and massaged her head. She felt Ichigo's scent fill her nose.

"Geez, orihime, be more careful! You make me worry about you."

He continued to let his fingers gently apply pressure on her forehead so the pain may subside. A tingling sensation passed through Orihime's body as she felt Ichigo's warmth almost touch her. She opened her eyes and when the revelation that the man before was not a hallucination sunk in she quickly tore apart.

"K-K-Kurosaki kun."

She stammered, moving away from him. Ichigo frowned at her sudden reaction.

"What are you doing here, Kurosaki kun" she continued.

Her hand rubbing the back of her head, a silly smile plastered on her face.

Ichigo averted his eyes from her petite form, his frown growing deeper. He ran his hands through his uncombed hair and slowly said,

"I wanted to talk to you,"

Orihime's eyes widened, in curiosity.

"What did you want to talk about Kurosaki Kun?"

Ichigo's eyes were fixed on the ground, his eye brows knitted close together.

"Inoue," he began.

"You don't seem your usual cheerful self these past few days. Is something wrong?"

Orihime starred transfixed. She realized that Ichigo had been worrying about her.

As Orihime's silence stretched on, Ichigo grew more uncomfortable. Maybe he shouldn't have asked her. They were friends, true. But that didn't give him to the right to pry. He slowly lifted his head, his gaze moved from the spot on the ground to Orihime's face. Orihime blamed herself for having worried her friend.

"No Kurosaki kun I am alright"

She lied.

Ichigo saw her fake a smile. It made his heart sink deeper.

"Inoue"

He continued earnestly.

"You can tell me. I would do anything to make you smile again."

Orihime saw his face bear an expression she had rarely seen. An expression he had given her twice before. Once on Sora's death when they were still kids and the second in Hueco Mundo. She cherished the smile because it was a smile he gave her and no one else. But she had never deciphered the meaning behind the smile. What did it mean?

And in an instant it hit her. He was worried about her because _he genuinely cared_.

She finally understood what she meant to him.

"Really, Kurosaki Kun, I am fine."

She felt her heart swell with joy and she smiled truthfully for the first time in many days. Ichigo was relieved to see her smile again. Without thinking, he reflected her smile. He didn't want to leave her side just yet. He hesitantly began.

"Inoue, can I walk you home?"

Orihime's eyes could have popped out of her socket. Ichigo mistook her surprise and hurriedly added,

"I understand if you don't want to,"

Orihime recovered from her initial surprise.

"No, I would love to walk with Kurosaki Kun"

Ichigo's cheeks felt warm. Suddenly both felt very awkward and shy. They walked in silence each enjoying the company of the other.

Ichigo knew at that moment that she was more than just his friend. She was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She was the woman he wanted to die protecting. He knew it was now or never. He slowly let his fingers take her hand in his. Orihime turned beet-red. Together, they walked, their hearts blossoming in love.


End file.
